You are here:
Console Games (Nintendo, Sony etc.) and Arcade Games/Silent Hill 4
Advertisement
Question
Hi if you know the answer to this question I'd be very happy so reply soon!
In Silent Hill 4 I love the storyline but when Walter Sullivan kills his victims how do they become ghosts? Does Walter make them become ghosts? What about the twin victims... were they created by Walter after he killed the children?
Ya know... Silent Hill is one of those series that seriously leaves a lot up to interpretation. Although I have played all the Silent Hills, save for the most recent one on PSP, I haven't finished 3 or 4 yet. I wish to not make assumptions about a game I have only played a portion of and so I have decided to let others who have more knowledge and insight in this matter (hopefully), take a stab at your question.
To be completely honest here, something as esoteric as the reasoning or meaning behind events and histories in these games, unless supported by an actual piece of documentation like a diary or journal or said by a character is really just conjecture anyhow. It took me awhile to figure out what was going on in the first and second games myself, and I just don't have the time to go through the game right now and try to formulate a concrete answer to something that probably doesn't really have one. Heck, this game wasn't even initially planned to be a Silent Hill game..so yeah, figure that one out.
But, having said that, there are a few fascinating plot analyses as well as a victim, memo, game script and ending faq at gamefaqs.com in the Silent Hill 4 section. I have briefly perused these documents myself and can say that if you are interested in the back story for these games, you should definitely check them out. The victim faq in particular mentions nearly your exact question in it under the kids entry, but unfortunately doesn't really offer any satisfactory answers. This is what I mean about it really depends on how you want to interpret it.
Also, do realize that unless they are transcripts of material collected or scripts of spoken dialogue taken from the games themselves, that what you are reading is really just someone else's interpretations of the meanings behind things and treat them as such. Some may be obviously backed by events and circumstances in the games. Others are clearly conclusions drawn from things found or lines spoken, but many with good arguments and examples behind them.
You can get to the largest of the plot analyses by following this link:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/file/919554/36931
Be aware that this is a huge file for a text document and could qualify for a short book on its own. Use the find function of your internet explorer to search for 'Walter Sullivan' for every single mention of him in the whole document. Or type '4-1. Walter Sullivan' which is what the heading is in the table of contents for just his entry in Silent Hill 4. Although this mostly goes into his possible thought processes and not really into the reasons behind why his victims are the way they are.
The others can be found on this page:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/ps2/game/919554.html
I really would like to answer this, but it is something that really would be futile in the long run (just look at all the material already present!) and unless there is actual written canon somewhere, just my opinions anyway. Somewhere, somebody might have THE definitive answer to your query, but I'm guessing that it is really going to come down to how you want to look at it. Thanks for asking though, and I hope you can find a suitable answer to your question.
Related Articles
- Radha Mitchell on Silent Hill the Movie, Video Game Fans, and Monsters
- Silent Hill 4: The Room Cheats, FAQs and Walkthroughs - PS2
- PSP Preview - Silent Hill: Shattered Memories First Impressions
- Silent Hill 4: The Room
- Silent Hill: Shattered Memories Preview - Hands-on Video Game Preview of Silent Hill: Shattered Memories for the Nintendo Wii
Answers by Expert:
gameusurper
Expertise
TOPICS I can answer questions about: Game Strategy, Recommendations (based on age or genre preference), History of a game, Recalling a game you played, Game music, Company or Creator info, and some simple system troubleshooting GENRES: My specialties are Adventure, RPG, Survival Horror, Action, and a small amount of Strategy and Puzzle. I avoid sports games like the plague, and have little interest in any racing games save for a few, F-Zero, Mario Kart and Wipeout being the main ones. Nor do I know many fighting games, mainly Bushido Blade and a few others. I am not much of a fan of First Person Shooters either. I am especially well versed in RPGs, particularly Final Fantasy and most of SquareEnix's other titles. GAMES: Not limited to the following. These games are series, and I know them all. There are MANY other individual ones. Feel free to ask and I will let you know if I can help you. Actraiser, Alundra, Breath of Fire, Bushido Blade, Castlevania, Chrono Trigger/Cross, Donkey Kong, Dragon Warrior/Quest, Drakkhen/Dragon View, Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, King's Field, Legacy of Kain/Soul Reaver, Mana, Mario, Mega Man, Metal Gear Solid, Ninja Gaiden, Metroid, Parasite Eve, Resident Evil, Rygar, Silent Hill, Spyro, Star Fox, Suikoden, Tomb Raider, TMNT, Wild Arms, Xenogears/Xenosaga, Zelda, and Zone of the Enders SYSTEMS: NES, Super NES, N64, Gamecube, Wii, Gameboy Color, GBA, DS, PS1, PS2, PS3 and PSP plus computer, but I'm not really a big computer gamer. Systems I plan on getting in the future are XBOX 360 and Wii U. I am also a big fan of emulators on the PC. I have many of the old 8-bit and 16-bit systems and ROMS for my computer and know a lot about them. These include NES, Super NES, Genesis, Turbografx, MSX, Gameboy, Gameboy Color, and GBA.
Experience
I have been a video gamer for over 20 years. I started with the original NES way back in 1988 and have owned or played nearly every popular console since then. I have completed hundreds of games and played thousands. I have a large file cabinet filled with hundreds of hand-made maps, lists, and various strategies for many of the games I have conquered in the past two decades. I subscribe to 5 different game magazines to keep up to date on the newest stuff out there. I would officially call myself an expert on the subject of videogames. And if I don't know the answer, I can find out about it and direct you to someplace that does.
Publications
I have had three things published in Nintendo Power magazine as well as a piece of artwork. I also participate regularly on the GameFAQs forums. I am wanting to write FAQs for GameFAQs as well. I would also like to write columns for other video game magazines.
Education/Credentials
Experience with games baby, and lots of it. On the academic side, I am currently attending ITT Tech and am two quarters into an Associate's in Visual Communications. I will then be continuing for a Bachelor's in Video Game Design.
Awards and Honors
These are not academic awards. I am still working on those. These are video game related things of note about me. I do consider them honors as they are the most secret things in each of their respective games, and I am very proud of having found them. I am the discoverer of the Ryu Fireball in Megaman X, the Dragon Punch in Megaman X2, and the Golden Armor in Megaman X3. All three of those discoveries have appeared in Nintendo Power magazine. I have also broken the password systems for Megaman 4 and Megaman 5.
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.